Rubbish dumping epidemic ruining our bushland
Campbelltown’s bushland is being ruined by careless tossers dumping anything and everything in precious green space.
Macarthur
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CAMPBELLTOWN’S bushland is being ruined by careless tossers dumping anything and everything in precious green space.
Campbelltown Council’s Bushcare group recently pulled 2.5 tonnes of waste out of Noorumba Reserve at Rosemeadow.
The Macarthur Chronicle took a short walk through Noorumba Reserve with Bushcare group members and barely 50m in came across large amounts of dumped household goods and general rubbish.
Sadly this is not an uncommon site across the region.
Bushcare volunteer Deborah Clark said group members regularly pulled rubbish out of local bushland.
“We collected about two and a half tonnes from Noorumba Reserve last weekend,” she said.
“Most of that rubbish was collected from the space between houses and the bushland; there’s even more in the bushland itself.
“Sadly, if you walk along many of the streets that border bushland, illegally dumped rubbish is not an uncommon sight.”
Ms Clark said garden waste was also an issue.
“Around St Helens Park there’s a number of areas where people come and just dump garden waste,” she said.
“I don’t think a lot of people think about what those garden waste products can actually do to the bush.
“It’s introducing weeds and becoming a huge fire hazard; we are so dry at the moment, we don’t need that.”
Bushcare volunteer Col Burnett said it was frustrating for volunteers who tried their best to keep on top of rubbish dumpers.
“What frustrates me is the little bit we can do,” Mr Burnett said. “There’s places we’re not going to get to.”
People are encouraged to report illegal dumping to Campbelltown Council.
Locals are entitled to four free kerbside rubbish pick ups a year.
Visit: campbelltown.nsw.gov.au